First kydex sheath. Ugly but functional

A

AlexSchira

Joined
May 12, 2007
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355
I scratched the sides with my Dremel tool, I still need to file off some loose edges, the rivets are all botched but staying in, and the improvised J-hook needs to be remade first thing tomorrow...But for now, it's carry-able, and intact. Behold, my first low-budget, DVD taught Mora Clipper sheath.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0092-1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0093.jpg

First goal is figure out where I went wrong with the eyelets, need to practice with my new Dremel, and then finer fit and finish. Not sure what I'll do next, probably another smaller fixed blade as I accumulate the things in all sizes.
 
It doesn't look too bad to me. You can probably sand the edges with some sandpaper to smooth them out. I want to start making some kydex sheaths myself, I guess the more you do it the better you will get.
 
It looks pretty good to me. :thumbup: The rivets look ok -- what did you use to put them in?
 
AlexSchira said:
First goal is figure out where I went wrong with the eyelets,
Click to expand...

What did you use to set them? If I had to guess, it looks like you may have used a Tandy setter with non Tandy eyelets?
 
Was using #8 rivets and the #8 setter from knifekits...it just stinks. The anvil doesn't hold the rivet in place so I just used a concrete floor, and every style of tapping doesn't give you a rounded rivet on the end.
 
AlexSchira said:
Was using #8 rivets and the #8 setter from knifekits...it just stinks. The anvil doesn't hold the rivet in place so I just used a concrete floor, and every style of tapping doesn't give you a rounded rivet on the end.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Try using a block of wood with a piece of leather (an old belt, boot, whatever) on top in place of the anvil. Alternatively, if you've got a nail that fits perfectly inside the eyelet, shove it through the leather and cut it down to just a nub, so it holds the eyelet in place.
 
That rivet setter is crap. I've had better luck with ball bearings and a ball peen hammer. Get creative and take your time. If you're just doing a couple for knives you have, you can make it work. Eventually, I had to order a real set of dies. I figure they'll pay for themselves in saved time and rivets.
 
Hey Guys..

nothing at All wrong with the dies from Knife kits..

It is what I use and have been using them for 6 years now,, still going strongs and have done Thousands upon Thousands of eyelets with them.

Not a real clear view of them in these pictures. If you can take some decent close ups of the front back I can diagnose the problem for you...

Tell me what they are doing,, and Not doing..

If they are splitting,, you could have multiple problems.. Anything from that sharp spike hitting the side which Scores the brass,and produces a split..
Could also be too long of an eyelt for the plastic..

Could also be that you're tapping to hard, or on an angle

Explain to me a little bit about it,,and I'll see what I can come up with...

I can pretty much tell you it's Probably Not the dies, if they are in fact the same die I use...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
I'm not using the dies, which I'm told are spectacular, but the hand-setter chisel-style punch you tap with a hammer. Generally the rivet just flares down normally for a few taps, then veers off to one side or splits as the punch seems to be sized wrong. I end up with one side of ugly flattened rivet that just hangs on, and the normal side. The anvil that came with it doesn't hold onto the eyelet whatsoever, ruined three of them, all it does it make the thing dance around as the depression is for a larger eyelet. I'm using .08 kydex and #8 rivets, this setter is supposedly the #8 model but looks like it's for a larger set.
 
AlexSchira said:
I'm not using the dies, which I'm told are spectacular, but the hand-setter chisel-style punch you tap with a hammer. Generally the rivet just flares down normally for a few taps, then veers off to one side or splits as the punch seems to be sized wrong. I end up with one side of ugly flattened rivet that just hangs on, and the normal side. The anvil that came with it doesn't hold onto the eyelet whatsoever, ruined three of them, all it does it make the thing dance around as the depression is for a larger eyelet. I'm using .08 kydex and #8 rivets, this setter is supposedly the #8 model but looks like it's for a larger set.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's what I experienced. Hand set punch and anvil does not roll the rivets and is a total waste of money. I get much nicer results with a small ball peen hammer. Both the anvil and the punch are wrong. I've got the press dies on order, hope they actually work.
 
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AlexSchira said:
You just use the hammer directly, or a ball bearing and pound it down like you implied earlier?
Click to expand...

I've put a few layers of duct tape down on my vise to pad the rivet. Then use a ball bearing that's bigger than the rivet to start flaring it. Then tap (not pound) it down with the round head of a ball peen hammer. Once it's mostly down, I'll use the flat face of the hammer to make sure the edge is flush all around.
I originally tried a tapered punch instead of the ball bearing. It worked also but tends to get stuck in the rivet occasionally.
 
Still working on my eyelets and have since replaced the ones seen in the first sheath and this other one, but here is some newer work of mine.

Buck Smidgen pancake sheath, may scrap this to make a foldover that's half the size.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0096.jpg

Courtesy of the heat gun my other half got me this morning, my Leatherman Wave holster. Will not shake loose, impressed at how well the pattern worked out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0103.jpg

Had a little square left over, and I was that bored...so here is a twist on the previous pattern, one tenth scale on my Leatherman Squirt.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0107.jpg
 
AlexSchira said:
Still working on my eyelets and have since replaced the ones seen in the first sheath and this other one, but here is some newer work of mine.

Buck Smidgen pancake sheath, may scrap this to make a foldover that's half the size.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0096.jpg

Courtesy of the heat gun my other half got me this morning, my Leatherman Wave holster. Will not shake loose, impressed at how well the pattern worked out.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0103.jpg

Had a little square left over, and I was that bored...so here is a twist on the previous pattern, one tenth scale on my Leatherman Squirt.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v390/chicagonighthawk/IMG_0107.jpg
Click to expand...

Your having fun aren't you. :D I think the next thing I'm going to make with some of my smaller scraps is battery holders. If you haven't bought rivet dies yet, it's the way to go. For around $35 dollars it will save a lot of time and destroyed rivets. I'm using my dies in a drill press but I'm sure you could either hammer them or rig up a c-clamp or something if you don't have a press.
 
Some walmarts have a hand held eyelet press it works like pliers ,I have had good luck with it. I think the eyelet problem might be you are pressing the wrong side .I set the sheath front side down with the pre flaired part on the bottom pushing up through the hole in the sheath then I place the anvil part under everything and set the setter on the top and try to strike as straight as I can with one blow from a light hammer.Is this what you have been doing?
 
thebrain said:
Some walmarts have a hand held eyelet press it works like pliers ,I have had good luck with it. I think the eyelet problem might be you are pressing the wrong side .I set the sheath front side down with the pre flaired part on the bottom pushing up through the hole in the sheath then I place the anvil part under everything and set the setter on the top and try to strike as straight as I can with one blow from a light hammer.Is this what you have been doing?
Click to expand...

I can't speak for Alex but we were using the same rivet setter and the way you described is exactly how I used it. I'm not sure if there was a mix up in their packaging or if the tools were machined incorrectly or what but I can tell you mine would not work no matter what.

The rivet dies that knifekits.com sells work great, I should have bought them in the first place. I've been using the upper die in my drill press and the lower one is set in a block of wood. If someone doesn't have a press, I think one could set the bottom die in wood and use a hammer to tap the upper die down.
 
Yep, same thing I did, darn thing wasn't sized right. Been using a different method since then that some one enlightened me about, except for the finish rubbing off afterwards my rivets are now eerily nice looking. Finished up an odd job for a friend, his grandfather's Sharpfinger. Amazed how well it turned out, even got myself rounding off the edges more for a contoured shape with less angles, went back and redid that first Mora sheath to round it off.
 
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